PHILLIPS, JAMES (1847 - 1907), historian of Pembrokeshire

Born 26 March 1847 at Haverford-west; his father, James Phillips, ironmonger, came of Quaker stock and was mayor of the town in 1871. Educated at a private school on S. Thomas's Green, he became a Wesleyan local preacher, although he suffered from a stammer. Late in life he entered the Bristol Congregational College, and in 1889 he was ordained minister at the Tabernacle Congregational church, Little Haven, Pembrokeshire, which he served till his death on 20 November 1907 at his residence in Haverfordwest. A Liberal in politics, he interested himself in local education, serving as chairman of the Haverfordwest School Board, and from 1903 of the Haverfordwest Managers. He was also a governor of the grammar school and vice-chairman of Tasker's high school, and a member of the county education committee since its formation. He was an alderman of the county council. He is best known as author of The History of Pembrokeshire, published posthumously in 1909. He also wrote a number of articles, mainly on Elizabethan Haverfordwest (Archæologia Cambrensis, 1895, 81-95; 1896, 193-211; 1897, 41-4, 308-23; 1898, 298-311; 1899, 269-82; and 1904, 253-74) and on the parish registers of S. Mary's, Haverfordwest (ibid., 1902, 115-27; 1903, 298-318; and 1905, 38-61).

Author

• Dr Bertie George Charles, (1908 - 2000)

Sources

• The Congregational Year Book, 1908, 193-4
• Pembrokeshire County Guardian, 22 and 29 November 1907
• South Wales Daily News, 22 November 1907.

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20748843

Published date: 1959

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